The present invention relates to an occupant protection system for protecting an occupant of a vehicle, such as a car, in the event of a crash. More specifically, the present invention relates to an occupant protection system for restraining the lumbar part of the occupant during a front crash to prevent the body of the occupant from moving forward and downward.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-247010 discloses an occupant protection system for protecting an occupant in the event of a car crash. When a crash occurs, the system heightens or hardens the front section of a seat cushion in order to prevent a so-called submarine phenomenon, in which the occupant passes under the lap belt during a front crash.
FIG. 34 of Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-247010 shows an airbag that is placed between a left side frame and a right side frame of a seat and a gas generator that is disposed on the side of one of the side frames.
The occupant protection system disclosed in Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2001-247010 requires multiple operations to mount the system to a seat, including mounting both ends of the airbag to the left and right side frames, and mounting the gas generator to one of the side frames. Thus, the work to mount the occupant protection system to the seat is complicated.